Animal tattooing paste and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

An improved animal carcass tattooing paste having substantially enhanced permanency when used to place identifying marks on carcasses, comprising from about 0.05% by weight to about 10.0% by weight of a sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester, from about 0.05% by weight to about 10.0% by weight of a water soluble polyoxyethylene derivative of a fatty acid partial ester of sorbitol, from about 0.05% to about 10.0% by weight of oleic acid, from about 0.05% to about 10.0% by weight of an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, from about 0.5% to about 15% by weight of a thickening agent, from about 5.0% by weight to about 45.0% by weight of inorganic viscosity modifier, from about 0.05% by weight to about 10.0% by weight of an organic dye material which is compatible with the other ingredients of said paste, and from about 50.0% to about 85.0% by weight water. The method comprises the steps of: (1) mixing the water soluble polyoxyethylene derivative of a fatty acid partial ester of sorbitol with heated water; (2) mixing the organic dye material into the mixture; (3) mixing oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and heated sorbitan mono fatty acid ester and adding the same to the mixture of step (2); (4) mixing the thickening agent into the mixture of step (3); (5) cooling the mixture and (6) packaging the cooled product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an animal tattooing paste and moreparticularly to tattooing paste which is used on hog carcasses.

In normal meat packing operations, hog carcasses are "tattooed" with anidentification number immediately after slaughter so that the source ofthe carcass can be determined should the carcass subsequently be foundto be diseased. If the animal is found to be diseased, the U.S.D.A. mustascertain the source of the animal so that further investigation may beconducted.

It is not a matter of simply tattooing an identification number on thecarcass since the carcass undergoes extensive processing and ordinaryink is quickly eradicated. The carcasses are normally subjected toscalding water and brush action or flail action to remove the hair fromthe skin of the carcass. The scalding water quickly dissolves the inkwith the brushes and flails completing the eradication of the number.

A further consideration is that the tattooing ink or paste must notcontain any ingredient which is carcinogenic, or which may be suspectedof being carcinogenic.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide ananimal tattooing paste which will not be removed from the carcass duringthe packing process.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooingpaste which does not contain any carciogenic ingredients.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooingpaste which permits the packaging of the same for subsequentdistribution and use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an animal tattooingpaste which is a food grade product.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED PASTE AND METHOD

The animal paste of this invention is formulated or manufactured asfollows and unless otherwise stated, the percentages given herein areall weight percent. Tap water is first heated to approximately 180° F.and added to a stainless steel mixing vessel equipped with a stainlesssteel mixing rod equippped with two, three-bladed propellers. Thepropellers should be located at the bottom and midpoint of the vessel.An emulsifier and surface agent comprised of a polyoxyethylenederivative of fatty acid partial esters of sorbitol anhydrides is thenadded to the water and rapidly mixed or agitated. The preferredemulsifier and surface agent is polysorbate 80 which is marketed by ICIunder the tradename or trademark Tween 80. A water soluble, carcasspermeable dye, preferably black aluminum lake dye, is then added to thewater-polysorbate 80 mixture and the resultant mixture continuallyagitated. An inorganic viscosity modifier is then heated toapproximately 200° F. in a stainless steel vessel. The preferredinorganic viscosity modifier is polybutene having a molecular weight of2500 marketed by Exxon Chemical Co. under the trademark Peratac. Oleicacid, aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and an emulsifier and surface activeagent comprised of fatty acid ester of sorbitol (previously heated toapproximately 180° F.) are then added to the polybutene and mildlyagitated to insure complete mixing. The preferred fatty acid ester ofsorbitol is sorbitan monostearate manufactured by ICI under thetrademark Span 60. The preferred aromatic hydrocarbon is a benzine ringtype organic solvent such as that sold by Barton Solvents.

Without delay, the polybutene, oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbon solventand sorbitan monostearate mixture is slowly added to the hot water,polysorbate 80 and black aluminum lake dye mixture and rapidly agitatedat approximately 1725 R.P.M. for approximately five minutes after thetwo mixtures have been combined. Carboxymethyl-cellulose is then slowlyadded to the resultant mixture which should be initially agitated atapproximately 200 R.P.M. The rate of agitation is increased steadily toapproximately 1725 R.P.M. by the time the carboxymethyl-celluloseaddition is complete. The resultant mixture is then agitated for anotherfive minutes. The mixture is then permitted to cool and the product ispackaged.

EXAMPLE I

66.74% tap water was first heated to approximately 180° F. and added toa stainless steel mixing vessel such as that previously described. 0.81%polysorbate 80 was then added to the water and rapidly agitated ormixed. 2.30% black aluminum lake dye was then added to thewater-polysorbate 80 mixture and the resultant mixture agitated. 23.02%polybutene was then heated to approximately 200° F. in a stainless steelvessel. 2.30% oleic acid, 2.30% aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and 0.23%sorbitan monstearate (previously heated to approximately 180° F.) werethen added to the polybutene and mildly agitated to insure completemixing.

The polybutene, oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and sorbitanmonstearate mixture was then slowly added to the hot water, polysorbate80 and black aluminum lake dye mixture and rapidly agitated atapproximately 1725 R.P.M. for approximately five minutes after the twomixtures had been combined. 2.30% carboxymethyl-cellulose was then addedslowly to the resultant mixture and was initially agitated atapproximately 200 R.P.M. The rate of agitation was increased steadily toapproximately 1725 R.P.M. to coincide with the time thecarboxymethyl-cellulose addition was complete. The resultant mixture wasthen agitated for another five minutes, permitted to cool and thenpackaged.

The tattoo paste of Example I was then employed with a conventionaltattooing device which tattooed the carcass with a suitableidentification number. The identification number was placed on thecarcass immediately after the animal was slaughtered and was verylegible even after the carcass had been scalded and brushed to removethe hair therefrom.

Table A hereinafter discloses the permissible ranges of the ingredientsof the tattoo paste of this invention while Table B discloses thepreferred proportions of the paste. Although the ranges of Table A willproduce a satisfactory tattoo paste, the proportions of Table B resultin a more superior product. It should also be noted that the agitationspeeds and periods described hereinabove are preferred but somedeviations therefrom may be possible with a somewhat less desirableproduct resulting therefrom.

Table C identifies the ingredients employed in the manufacture of thetattoo paste by tradename (or trademark) as well as the manufacturerthereof.

                  TABLE A                                                         ______________________________________                                        Preferred Ingredients                                                                         Permissible Range-Weight %                                    ______________________________________                                        Sorbitan Monostearate                                                                         .05% to 10.0%                                                 Polysorbate 80  .05% to 10.0%                                                 Oleic Acid      .05% to 10.0%                                                 Aromatic Hydrocarbon                                                                          .05% to 10.0%                                                 Carboxymethyl-Cellulose                                                                       .50% to 15.0%                                                 Polybutene      5.00% to 45.0%                                                Black Aluminum Lake Dye                                                                       .05% to 10.0%                                                 Water           50.00% to 85.0%                                               ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE B                                                         ______________________________________                                        Preferred Ingredients                                                                         Preferred Proportions-Weight %                                ______________________________________                                        Sorbitan Monostearate                                                                         .23%                                                          Polysorbate 80  .81%                                                          Oleic Acid      2.30%                                                         Aromatic Hydrocarbon                                                                          2.30%                                                         Carboxymethyl-Cellulose                                                                       2.30%                                                         Polybutene      23.02%                                                        Black Aluminum Lake Dye                                                                       2.30%                                                         Water           66.74%                                                                        100.00%                                                       ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE C                                                         ______________________________________                                        Chemical Name   Tradename Manufacturer                                        ______________________________________                                        Sorbitan Monostearate                                                                         Span 60   ICI                                                 Polysorbate 80  Tween 80  ICI                                                 Oleic Acid      Groco 6E  A. Gross & Co.                                      Aromatic Hydrocarbon                                                                          D-100     Barton Solvents                                     Carboxymethyl-Cellulose                                                                       CMC       H. Kohnstamm & Co.                                  Polybutene      Peratac   Exxon Chemical Co.                                  Black Aluminum Lake Dye                                                                       Jetine Dye                                                                              H. Kohnstamm & Co.                                  ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. An improved animal carcass tattooing paste havingsubstantially enhanced permanency when used to place identifying markson caracasses, comprising from about 0.05% weight to about 10.0% byweight of a sorbitan mono fatty acid ester, from about 0.05% by weightto about 10.0% by weight of a water soluble polyoxyethylene derivativeof a fatty acid partial ester of sorbitol anhydrides, from about 0.05%to about 10.0% by weight of oleic acid, from about 0.05% to about 10.0%by weight of an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, from about 0.5% to about15% by weight of a thickening agent, from about 5.0% by weight to about45.0% by weight of polybutene having a molecular weight of 2500, fromabout 0.05% by weight to about 10.0% by weight of an organic dyematerial which is compatible with the other ingredients of said pasteand from about 50.0% to about 85.0% by weight water.
 2. The tattooingpaste of claim 1 wherein said sorbitan mono fatty acid ester comprisessorbitan monostearate, said thickening agent comprisingcarboxymethyl-cellulose, said organic dye material comprising blackaluminum lake dye.
 3. An improved animal carcass tattooing paste havingsubstantially enhanced permanency when used to place identifying markson carcasses comprising 0.23% sorbitan monostearate, 0.81%polyoxyethylene derivative of fatty acid partial esters of sorbitolanhydrides, 2.30% oleic acid, 2.30% armoatic hydrocarbon, 2.30%carboxymethyl-cellulose, 23.02% polybutene having a molecular weight of2500, 2.30% black aluminum lake dye and 66.74% water.
 4. The method ofmanufacturing an animal tattooing paste comprising the steps of:(1)adding an emulsifier and surface agent comprised of a polyoxyethylenederivative of fatty acid partial esters of sorbitol anhydrides and blackaluminum lake dye to heated water and mixing the same; (2) adding oleicacid, aromatic hydrocarbon and heated sorbitan monostearate to heatedpolybutene having a molecular weight of 2500 and mixing the same; (3)adding the oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbon, sorbitan monostearate andpolybutene mixture to the emulsifier and surface agent, black aluminumlake dye and water mixture and mixing the same; (4) addingcarboxymethyl-cellulose to the of step (3) and mixing the same; and (5)packaging the same.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the mixture isallowed to cool between steps (4) and (5).
 6. The method of claim 4wherein said water is heated to approximately 180° F.
 7. The method ofclaim 4 wherein said sorbitan monostearate is heated to approximately180° F.
 8. The method of claim 4 wherein said polybutene is heated toapproximately 200° F.
 9. The method of claim 4 wherein the oleic acid,aromatic hydrocarbon, sorbitan monostearate and polybutene mixture isslowly added to the emulsifier and surface agent, black aluminum lakedye and water mixture and is rapidly agitated at approximately 1725R.P.M. for approximately five minutes.
 10. The method of claim 9 whereinthe carboxymethyl-cellulose mixture is slowly added to the mixture whichis initially agitated at approximately 200 R.P.M. and which is steadilyincreased to approximately 1725 R.P.M. until all thecarboxymethyl-cellulose has been added to the mixture.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 wherein the resultant mixture is agitated for an additionalfive minutes after all the carboxymethyl-cellulose has been added to themixture.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the resultant mixture isallowed to cool before packaging.
 13. The method of manufacturing ananimal tattooing paste comprising the steps of:(1) adding an emulsifiersurface agent comprised of a polyoxyethylene derivative of fatty acidpartial esters of sorbitol anhydrides to water which has been heated toapproximately 180° F. and mixing the same; (2) adding black aluminumlake dye to the emulsifier and surface agent and water mixture andmixing the same; (3) heating polybutene having a molecular weight of2500 to approximately 200° F.; (4) heating sorbitan monostearate toapproximately 180° F.; (5) adding the oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbonand the heated sorbitan monostearate to the heated polybutene and mixingthe same; (6) adding the oleic acid, aromatic hydrocarbon sorbitanmonostearate and polybutene mixture to the emulsifier and surface agent,black aluminum lake dye and water mixture and mixing the same; (7)adding carboxymethyl-cellulose to the mixture of step (6) and mixing thesame; and (8) packaging the product for subsequent use.
 14. The methodof claim 13 wherein the ingredients are added to the mixture in thefollowing amounts:(a) 0.05 to 10.0% sorbitan monostearate; (b) 0.05 to10.0% emulsifier and surface agent; (c) 0.05 to 10.0% oleic acid; (d)0.05 to 10.0% aromatic hydrocarbon; (e) 0.05 to 15.0%carboxymethyl-cellulose; (f) 5.0 to 45.0% polybutene; (g) 0.05 to 10.0%to black aluminum lake dye; and (h) 50.0 to 85.0% water.
 15. The methodof manufacturing an improved animal carcass tattooing paste havingsubstantially enhanced permanency when used to place identifying markson carcasses, comprising the steps of:(1) adding a polyoxyethylenederivative of a fatty acid partial ester of sorbitol anhydrides and anorganic dye material, which is compatible with the other ingredients ofthe paste, to heated water and mixing the same; (2) adding oleic acid,an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and a sorbitan mono fatty acid ester toa heated polybutene having a molecular weight of 2500 and mixing thesame. (3) adding the mixture of step (2) to the mixture of step (1) andmixing the same; (4) adding a thickening agent to the mixture and mixingthe same; and (5) packaging the product.